Dongmen Pedestrian Street is a shopping district consisting of department stores, supermarkets, shops and stalls. It is centred on two parallel pedestrian streets with several smaller streets and alleys traversing it, creating a labyrinth in which every available space is used to sell something. Shops range from holes-in-the-wall to retail chains like Baleno, Giordano and the odd foreign brand shop, such as Addidas. Fashion wear, sports wear, jewellery, shoes, handbags, toys, CDs, DVDs, video games, traditional medicine...the list goes on and on. Touts guide punters to massage houses, nail salons and tattoo parlours. Occasionally, monks offer palm readings. Except for retail chain stores with prices clearly displayed, bargaining will be required.

Dongmen commercial zone was established 300 years ago which in the contemporary time, so it is also called "Old Street". When you walk on Dongmen Old Street, you can still savor the delights of old-style buildings. Located between Yiheng Street and Erheng Street, off Renmin Road North, the so-called Old View Street transports the visitor into the traditional small town that often features in TV series.Many people are mesmerized by modern Dongmen, some may have forgotten about the old market just across Dongmen Footbridge, a great place to experience Shenzhen's traditional lifestyle. Walkers and motorcycles fight their way along wet and muddy streets. A strong smell of petrol fills the air. Pedlars stand on stools, waving their hands, yelling at people not to miss the chance to buy cheap stuff. Shopping malls with names familiar to Hong Kong people, like Mongkok Shopping Center, appear between the small shops.

If you do nothing else in Shenzhen, fit in a visit to Dong Men. It's a wonderfully vibrant area to explore and a lot of the city's young go there to stroll around, hang out and eat from its snack stalls and restaurants. It can be crowded at any time of the week but on weekends and holidays it seems like the whole population of the city is trying to squeeze into a few small streets.

Dongmen shopping has a similar focus on Chinese-made and counterfeit goods. Beauty parlor services are very popular in Dongmen and the department store Maoye has locations on both ends of the road. Despite being limited to pedestrian traffic, Dongmen can become very crowded on nights, weekends, and holidays, giving it a similar feel to Nanjing Road in Shanghai.

This area can be reached by bus no 102, 113,103, and 203. Head down one of the pedestrian streets that run perpendicular to Dong Men Zhong Lu (Dong Men Central Road) near the Dong Men footbridge. (There are more shops on the opposite side of Dong Men Zhong Lu). From there just wander and follow the crowd. By Metro, get off at Lao Jie station and leave from exit A. Turn left and you'll soon be in the thick of it.